Flurry of 67 citations issued for trash near businesses

Nearly 70 citations have been issued to local businesses after the city enacted an ordinance that gave officials the power to revoke businesses’ licenses for not maintaining their properties.

That ordinance gave businesses seven days after a citation to clean up trash before the city would use its own contractors, and then an additional 15 days to pay the city for the work. Assistant City Manager Ron Andrews told city council Tuesday that 60 businesses had received citations, and by Wednesday, an additional seven shops had been told to clean up trash or debris.

Andrews said most citations concern “really little stuff” like piles of cardboard boxes behind buildings.

“[Businesses] take them around back and leave them there to be rained on and scattered by the wind,” he said.

He added that 15 businesses cleaned up by themselves after receiving notice from Myrtle Beach, while 10 properties were cleaned by city contractors. The rest of the cases were ongoing.

As of Wednesday, no businesses had expired the 15 days to pay city contractors for work, Andrews said. If businesses don’t pay, the city will consider suspending their licenses.

“It won’t be long before we hit some, and I’m sure we’ll be tested,” he said.

Most enforcement has been focused in the downtown area, near 12th Avenue North, and moved south, Andrews said. On Tuesday, he told city council that when the city had cleaned up for a business owner, the cost has stayed relatively low.

“A lot of these properties, the ones that we’ve cleaned up, it’s cost us between $75 and $150 to do it,” Andrews said. “So that’s the indication about the property owner not really paying attention to the business.”

City Manager John Pedersen added Tuesday that only one of the city’s jobs so far has exceeded $180 for the work.

“This is nickel-and-dime stuff that people need to be taking care of,” Pedersen said.

He also said that after the city has finished its sweep of unkempt businesses downtown, enforcement may be focused on Ocean Boulevard.

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Flurry of 67 citations issued for trash near businesses."